Debwewin Citation winner and freelancer, Sharon Weatherall, passes into the Spirit World

September 28, 2016

Freelance writer Sharon Weatherall and director of communications for the Union of Ontario Indians, Maurice Switzer. — Freelance writer Sharon Weatherall and former director of communications for the Union of Ontario Indians, Maurice Switzer in January 2014.

By Marci Becking

The Anishinabek News team lost a story-telling champion on the weekend. Sharon Weatherall was a great voice for the Anishinabek Nation – especially Beausoleil First Nation where she lived nearby.

In 2014 , the Union of Ontario Indians presented Sharon in Beausoleil First Nation with an honourable mention Debwewin Citation for her reporting on some 100 stories for the island community. Debwewin in Anishinaabemowin means “Truth” or literally “Speaking from the heart”. There was rarely a pow-wow guide without photos from the Christian Island Elementary School pow-wow. She always was eager to tell the story from a community perspective – something still many mainstream journalists lack.

Former Chief Val Monague said, “Sharon was a welcome presence at many of our community events, her insights and portrayal of the essence of our ‘islandness’ were evident in the stories she wrote. Our community will miss her.”

She tackled the trial for the murder of Andrew Mixemong in 2015 and wrote several stories on the Beausoleil ferry challenges. Sharon also wrote of the Terry Fox Run at the Christian Island Elementary School – something she would have missed this year due to her own battles with cancer.

Sharon will be sadly missed by the Anishinabek News team of freelancers. Sharon’s stories can be found by her name search on the Anishinabeknews.ca main page. Others can be found in the PDF archive section of the anishinabeknews.ca